I know very little about my early history. I do know that I was born in Russia on October 14, 1998 and was in an orphanage for about 7 months. After which I was adopted by my amazing and most loving parents I could have ever dreamed of. They gave me all the opportunities to be a strong, successful, woman when I grow up. I had an amazing childhood; full of laughs, toys, games, and an infinite amount of love. I lived on long island, NY for about 14 years. During that time I experienced so much. I went to east moriches elementary. In the summer before 1st grade, I broke my collarbone while playing on the beach in Montalk where my parents and I had a small summer home after we sold our camper that we had taken out to the beach every summer. I still enjoyed my time in 1st grade. I was in girl scouts, which I stayed part of all the way to Cadette. In addition to also achieving the bronze and silver awards. I changed schools in 3rd grade and went to Raynor Country Day School. I am sad to say the few years in that school were not the most enjoyable years of my life. In 4th grade I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and it made my school days hard and my grades began to drop. I was getting bullied by one girl for 3 years that I went to that school. In 5th grade, I was diagnosed with Epilepsy. I spend a lot of time in the hospital. So that only made it harder for me and my parents. That October, my grandfather passed away. It was devastating. especially since he passed away 2 days after my birthday! He was my hero. I look up to him all the time. He was amazing. He taught me how to paint and draw and he had a talent to create something beautiful from something ordinary. His favorite hobbies were bird watching, painting and carving, and being an awesome grandfather and role model. He carved me a toy chest when I was a baby. (He even included little holes on the back with mesh covering, so that if I happened to fall into it I could still breathe!) That year was also the year when my dog, Daisy, died two days before Christmas. The loss of my grandfather and my dog put me into a deep depression. It lasted about 2 years. I still have moments of grief. Now I have taken on his love of nature, art, and his love of dragonflies and hummingbirds.
When I left Raynor Countrey Day School in 6th grade, I went to Westhampton Beach Middle School. It gave me a chance to start anew. There I met a boy, David, at the school book fair when he was unable to get the book he wanted. I also wanted the same book and I was able to get it. So at lunch when I found him alone in the corner, I lent him the book for the rest of the day. We never would have expected to became best friends. We have stayed friends since that day. That year I discovered my love for science. My teacher, who is still my favorite teacher, inspired me to be more than just a student in class. Instead I took the subject and made it a part of who I am. At the end of the year when I took the final test, the Regents exams, I scored a 93! My teacher was so proud of me. I also discovered my love for geology that year.
I was also a part of the schools tennis team. we were the best in the districts.
in 9th grade I was 2nd singles on the high school tennis team and I was also on the bowling team and yearbook club.
Around the middle of my sophomore year in high school, my parents sold our house to move to colorado. It was my idea. I just couldn't stand all the crowding at my school and the other students competing for popularity. It just wasn't the way I wanted to live and grow up. So we packed up all our stuff and drove 2000 miles across the country to our new home in Colorado.
The drive was long and it was quite the adventure. we got stuck in a major dust storm when we went through Kansas, encountered a homeless dude begging for money at a gas station, and when we finally got to our new home, the moving company got held up for about 2 weeks. So we had to live with what little amount of furniture there was in the house already. (A bunk bed, some lawn chairs, and toiletries.) It was quite the adventure. We managed it very well considering what we had to deal with as a family.
About four months later we had finally settled into our new home. I was going to the local high school, making lots of friends. I started learning to play guitar, and joined the soccer team as the goalie. It was the best. I was no longer stressed out, I laughed at school with my new friends and was the happiest I had ever been. The only issue was that the school wasn't very good academically. The teachers were unaware of my needs and it made my mom outraged.
The next year, I transferred to Yampah Mountain High School, an alternative school to the normal public school system. The classes were a lot smaller and it was all individualized for each student. It was more like a family than a school. I was overjoyed. I was friends with all the other kids and everyone accepted eachother for who they are no matter what their backgroud was. I was on the rock climbing team, and we did Yoga, Ice skating, and we took lots of field trips. I got to tour local colleges in the area, and I got to go on an Eco-flight; Where 14 student were chosen to get to go up in a private plane and fly all around the valley that we lived in. It was the most beautiful and wild experience.
One of the field trips I got to go on was a week long trip to Yellowstone national park. We got to see bison, moose, even some wolves. We also went snowshoeing, and took a guided tour to see some of the geysers. It was one of the most fun and awesome memories I have. I have pictures from the trip on my Adventurer page here on the website too.
I love spending my school days at yampah. And I am proud to say that I graduated with my High School diploma from this incredible school. I want to thank everyone who supported me through my journey to achieve my goals and grow to be the strong, smart, independant woman I am today.
When I left Raynor Countrey Day School in 6th grade, I went to Westhampton Beach Middle School. It gave me a chance to start anew. There I met a boy, David, at the school book fair when he was unable to get the book he wanted. I also wanted the same book and I was able to get it. So at lunch when I found him alone in the corner, I lent him the book for the rest of the day. We never would have expected to became best friends. We have stayed friends since that day. That year I discovered my love for science. My teacher, who is still my favorite teacher, inspired me to be more than just a student in class. Instead I took the subject and made it a part of who I am. At the end of the year when I took the final test, the Regents exams, I scored a 93! My teacher was so proud of me. I also discovered my love for geology that year.
I was also a part of the schools tennis team. we were the best in the districts.
in 9th grade I was 2nd singles on the high school tennis team and I was also on the bowling team and yearbook club.
Around the middle of my sophomore year in high school, my parents sold our house to move to colorado. It was my idea. I just couldn't stand all the crowding at my school and the other students competing for popularity. It just wasn't the way I wanted to live and grow up. So we packed up all our stuff and drove 2000 miles across the country to our new home in Colorado.
The drive was long and it was quite the adventure. we got stuck in a major dust storm when we went through Kansas, encountered a homeless dude begging for money at a gas station, and when we finally got to our new home, the moving company got held up for about 2 weeks. So we had to live with what little amount of furniture there was in the house already. (A bunk bed, some lawn chairs, and toiletries.) It was quite the adventure. We managed it very well considering what we had to deal with as a family.
About four months later we had finally settled into our new home. I was going to the local high school, making lots of friends. I started learning to play guitar, and joined the soccer team as the goalie. It was the best. I was no longer stressed out, I laughed at school with my new friends and was the happiest I had ever been. The only issue was that the school wasn't very good academically. The teachers were unaware of my needs and it made my mom outraged.
The next year, I transferred to Yampah Mountain High School, an alternative school to the normal public school system. The classes were a lot smaller and it was all individualized for each student. It was more like a family than a school. I was overjoyed. I was friends with all the other kids and everyone accepted eachother for who they are no matter what their backgroud was. I was on the rock climbing team, and we did Yoga, Ice skating, and we took lots of field trips. I got to tour local colleges in the area, and I got to go on an Eco-flight; Where 14 student were chosen to get to go up in a private plane and fly all around the valley that we lived in. It was the most beautiful and wild experience.
One of the field trips I got to go on was a week long trip to Yellowstone national park. We got to see bison, moose, even some wolves. We also went snowshoeing, and took a guided tour to see some of the geysers. It was one of the most fun and awesome memories I have. I have pictures from the trip on my Adventurer page here on the website too.
I love spending my school days at yampah. And I am proud to say that I graduated with my High School diploma from this incredible school. I want to thank everyone who supported me through my journey to achieve my goals and grow to be the strong, smart, independant woman I am today.
Here is a picture of one of the entrances to Yampah Mountain High School.
Here is an essay I wrote for one of my classes about the hardest struggle I have had to overcome in my life.
Throughout my life I have had many struggles and overcome many obstacles. Bullying, depression, ADD, and lots more. But my biggest obstacle that I have overcome has been living with epilepsy. I was diagnosed with epilepsy, or seizure disorder, when I was in 4th or 5th grade. When I found out I felt like I couldn’t have a normal life anymore. I thought I would have to stop all my favorite activities like tennis, music, gymnastics, and all the stuff a child loves. It was almost like my life wasn’t mine. Or so I thought.
The doctors said I should just go about my normal life as if I didn’t have epilepsy. I was still doing the fun stuff I love, but I was being wary about it. Always scared of triggering a seizure. I was so scared that I wasn’t letting myself have fun. I was afraid of others fearing me. I hated having epilepsy. I wished I could just get rid of it.
After a year of fearing and hating having epilepsy. With the doctors trying all different medications to try and control the seizures. They finally found the perfect combination that my body agreed with. I began to notice that the whole time I was still living my normal life. It was then that I realized that I could use the epilepsy to my advantage. I started telling everyone about epilepsy. Letting others know it’s not as scary as it seems.
An organization known as the Anita Kaufman foundation, a foundation that specializes in educating others about epilepsy sent a request for me to become an ambassador for epilepsy awareness. At the time I was only in 5th grade. I went to get special training in seizure first aid and recognition, and how to give public presentations to head injury groups and spread awareness in all the ways I possibly could. I gave presentations in front of auditoriums full of students, parents, and fellow epileptics. Teaching others about all there is to know about epilepsy.
I chose to conquer my fear of epilepsy and having a seizure at any given moment. Instead I accepted my epilepsy as just another part of my everyday life. In doing so I also gained a new love for helping others. So now when I have a seizure, it no longer makes me feel like an outcast. But rather an example of how you can overcome any obstacle in life, if you choose to rise to the challenge and overcome it.
I would like to say thank you to all my teachers who have helped me with my schoolwork and make sure I don’t fall behind when I have a seizure or have to go into the hospital because of my epilepsy. I want to also thank my dad for always being there for me. He is always available to come pick me up from the school if I have a seizure, even when he is in the middle of work.
Most of all, I want to thank my mom. She has been an amazing, supportive, loving role model and adviser. She is also the most amazing mom and one of my Heroes.
The doctors said I should just go about my normal life as if I didn’t have epilepsy. I was still doing the fun stuff I love, but I was being wary about it. Always scared of triggering a seizure. I was so scared that I wasn’t letting myself have fun. I was afraid of others fearing me. I hated having epilepsy. I wished I could just get rid of it.
After a year of fearing and hating having epilepsy. With the doctors trying all different medications to try and control the seizures. They finally found the perfect combination that my body agreed with. I began to notice that the whole time I was still living my normal life. It was then that I realized that I could use the epilepsy to my advantage. I started telling everyone about epilepsy. Letting others know it’s not as scary as it seems.
An organization known as the Anita Kaufman foundation, a foundation that specializes in educating others about epilepsy sent a request for me to become an ambassador for epilepsy awareness. At the time I was only in 5th grade. I went to get special training in seizure first aid and recognition, and how to give public presentations to head injury groups and spread awareness in all the ways I possibly could. I gave presentations in front of auditoriums full of students, parents, and fellow epileptics. Teaching others about all there is to know about epilepsy.
I chose to conquer my fear of epilepsy and having a seizure at any given moment. Instead I accepted my epilepsy as just another part of my everyday life. In doing so I also gained a new love for helping others. So now when I have a seizure, it no longer makes me feel like an outcast. But rather an example of how you can overcome any obstacle in life, if you choose to rise to the challenge and overcome it.
I would like to say thank you to all my teachers who have helped me with my schoolwork and make sure I don’t fall behind when I have a seizure or have to go into the hospital because of my epilepsy. I want to also thank my dad for always being there for me. He is always available to come pick me up from the school if I have a seizure, even when he is in the middle of work.
Most of all, I want to thank my mom. She has been an amazing, supportive, loving role model and adviser. She is also the most amazing mom and one of my Heroes.